1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for distributing a software program through a network, and more specifically to a device and method for managing (controlling or administering) an identifier indicating information about a destination to which a software program is distributed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many kinds of software packages are currently available at computer stores. For most of the software packages, the number of machines, for example personal computers, to which a software package may be installed, or the number of grouped machines working simultaneously executing a software package, is restricted. Some of the software packages are allowed to be installed for only one personal computer, and some of them are allowed to be installed for a plurality of personal computers, but only one of the plurality of the personal computers can be used to execute the software package at one time.
For example, when a software program used in WINDOWS is installed, information regarding a license registration is commonly written onto a floppy disk, in order to prevent unauthorized duplication of the software program. However, this method does not effectively prevent duplication of the software program, because false information can be used as license registration information and the information can be rewritten by freeware after the software program is installed.